Phone +1 718-623-7000 | ||
 | ||
Address 280 Cadman Plaza W, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA Similar New York Public Library, Washingt Branch Library, Brooklyn Public Library, Library Learning Center, Poets House | ||
The Business & Career Library is a branch of Brooklyn Public Library, located at 280 Cadman Plaza West in Brooklyn Heights, convenient to Downtown Brooklyn. Its history precedes that of the BPL itself. In 1852, prominent citizens established the Brooklyn Athenaeum and Reading Room for the instruction of young men. In 1857, a group of young men established the Brooklyn Mercantile Library Association of the City of Brooklyn, which shared a building with the Athenaeum. The Mercantile Library attempted to be more practical, placing less emphasis on Literature and philosophy. The librarian in charge was Stephen Buttrick Noyes. In 1866, he went to work at the Library of Congress.
In 1869, the Mercantile Library and the Athenaeum consolidated their holdings and moved to a new building, the Montague Street Branch Library. Also in 1869, Noyes returned, and one of his labors on his return was the preparation of a catalog, which was issued in 1881. In 1878, the Mercantile Library was renamed the Brooklyn Library. By 1943, the Business Reference Department was known as the Business Library. The library outgrew its space, and in 1957, a new building to house both the Business Library and the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood branch was approved by city government. On June 1, 1962, the new $2.5 million library building opened its doors to the public at its current location. In 1993, a two-year renovation and expansion was completed.